Deck and Patio Cost Calculator: Wood, Composite, Concrete, Pavers (2026)

Pressure-treated wood is the standard starting point. A 400 sq ft wood deck runs $10,000–$16,000 mid-range installed. Labor is roughly 35% of that — figure $3,500–$5,600 for framing, decking, and finishing. The remaining 55–65% is lumber, hardware, and concrete for the footings. Budget builds cut corners on board thickness or skip the ledger flashing (which causes rot within 5 years). Pay for the ledger flashing.

Composite decks cost more upfront — that same 400 sq ft is $16,000–$28,000 — but the maintenance math changes everything. Wood needs sealing every 1–3 years ($300–$600 for a professional re-seal) and will show gray cracking within a decade if ignored. Composite costs $0 in annual maintenance beyond occasional washing. Over 20 years, composite's total cost of ownership is often lower than wood's. Trex, TimberTech, and Azek are the main brands; the price difference between them is mostly warranty and feel underfoot.

Concrete patios are the most affordable outdoor surface. Budget poured concrete at $8–$15 per sq ft. Stamped concrete (textured and colored to mimic stone or brick) runs $18–$35 per sq ft. A 400 sq ft concrete patio is $3,000–$6,000 for plain concrete, $7,200–$14,000 for stamped. The downside: concrete cracks. In climates with freeze-thaw cycles, expect cracks within 5–10 years regardless of quality. Sealing annually ($100–$200 DIY) slows this considerably.

Paver patios cost more than concrete but hold up better over time and are easier to repair — a single sunken or cracked paver can be removed and replaced without touching the rest. Concrete pavers at $15–$25 per sq ft installed. Natural stone (bluestone, travertine, flagstone) at $25–$50 per sq ft. A 400 sq ft paver patio runs $6,000–$10,000 for concrete pavers, $10,000–$20,000 for natural stone. The gravel and sand base is as important as the pavers themselves — a cheap base means settling and weeds within 3 years.

Elevation matters. A ground-level patio is simple. A deck elevated 8+ feet off the ground (to reach a second-story door or follow a sloped yard) requires deeper footings, more structural lumber, and typically a permit with engineering review. Add 25–50% to the base cost for elevated decks. The footings alone on a high-deck can run $2,000–$5,000 before a single board goes down.

Railings are expensive. Most homeowners underestimate this. Cable railing on a 50-foot perimeter runs $4,000–$8,000. Aluminum balusters are $2,500–$5,000. Wood railings are cheapest at $1,500–$3,000 for the same run, but require the most maintenance. If your deck is elevated (required by code once you're 30" off the ground), budget railings as a significant line item — they can be 20–30% of the total deck cost.

Permits are usually required for decks attached to the house and for any structure over 200 sq ft. Permit costs vary by city — $200–$1,500 for most residential decks. They're worth pulling. An unpermitted deck will be flagged in a home inspection and can complicate your sale. Some buyers walk over unpermitted exterior structures.

State costs vary 50–70% from cheapest to most expensive. Mississippi labor at 0.72x the national average means that $16,000 deck comes to $11,500. In California (1.35x), that same deck is $21,600. Hawaii at 1.5x brings it to $24,000. The calculator above adjusts for your state automatically.